A Line @ A Time

This Day in Music History: October 25th

Composer Georges Alexandre-Cesar-Leopold Bizet was born. He is best remembered for his opera “Carmen.

1991

Legendary Rock concert promoter Bill Graham was killed when the Bell 206B JetRanger III helicopter he was riding in struck the top of a Pacific Gas and Electric transmission tower near Sears Point, northwest of Vallejo and exploded. The crash, which left the helicopter’s wreckage dangling near the top of the towering structure, killed Graham, his girlfriend Melissa Gold and pilot Steve Kahn. Graham had founded the Fillmore theaters in San Francisco and New York and had played key roles in supporting such bands as the Who, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Janis Joplin, The Band, Bob Dylan, The J. Geils Band, The Allman Brothers Band and The Rolling Stones.

1996

The Spice Girls had their second UK No.1 single when “Say You’ll be there”started a two-week run at the top of the charts. The song included a harmonica solo, played by Judd Lander who also played the harmonica solo on Culture Club’s 1984 hit ‘Karma Chameleon’.

2002

Jessica Simpson, married former 98° member Nick Lachey. The couple were featured on MTV ‘Newlyweds’ TV show. The couple separated after three years of marriage.

2007

Rapper TI was released on $3m (£1.5m) bail in Atlanta after he was charged with unlawfully possessing firearms, unregistered machine guns and silencers. US Magistrate Judge Alan Baverman said the singer would remain under house arrest in Henry County, Georgia, being monitored 24 hours a day by a private firm paid for by himself. The rapper was also electronically tagged.